Discussion
Any help would be appreciated.
Set up new tank with tap safe and a tiny drop of filter boost as per instructions. Everything washed before putting in tank. Everything set up correctly as per instructions inc filter etc.
Few days in and ready to buy first few fish and water goes cloudy. Most places including the fish shop say it’s normal as the tank finds its balance and will clear in 2 days. We put 5 zeb danios in and the tank hasn’t cleared after 4 days infact slightly worse. One of the fish has passed in the night.
They are all swimming at the surface all day so maybe oxygen but my filter is aimed to agitate the water. (Filter off in that pic while feeding)
Do I start doing stuff like more chems or water changes? Online seems to suggest just waiting it out?
Set up new tank with tap safe and a tiny drop of filter boost as per instructions. Everything washed before putting in tank. Everything set up correctly as per instructions inc filter etc.
Few days in and ready to buy first few fish and water goes cloudy. Most places including the fish shop say it’s normal as the tank finds its balance and will clear in 2 days. We put 5 zeb danios in and the tank hasn’t cleared after 4 days infact slightly worse. One of the fish has passed in the night.
They are all swimming at the surface all day so maybe oxygen but my filter is aimed to agitate the water. (Filter off in that pic while feeding)
Do I start doing stuff like more chems or water changes? Online seems to suggest just waiting it out?
Unfortunately what you are experience is bad info from fish shops who just want to sell fish. Tanks need to cycle before adding fish. Bacteria needs to establish in order to keep a tank cycled but in a new tank there isn't any so ammonia from fish waste and food builds up with nothing to remove it.
The cloudyness is a bacterial bloom which happens in newly set up tanks.
You need to get a API test kit to test ammonia nitrate and nitrite you will also need a water conditioner and can get bio boost to aid in the cycling process. You will find high levels of ammonia with zero nitrite and nitrate then a rise in nitrite and when the bacteria is established both should go down to zero with nitrate around 10-20 at that point the tank is cycled.
Some good news is danios are one of the hardiest of fish so they have a higher tolerance for new tank syndrome. In the mean time while tank is establishing you need to be doing daily water changes to remove the ammonia so 10-20% a day. Also limit feeding to reduce adding extra ammonia to the tank so just once every 2 days.
There is a huge fish tank thread on here with huge wealth of knowledge too.
The cloudyness is a bacterial bloom which happens in newly set up tanks.
You need to get a API test kit to test ammonia nitrate and nitrite you will also need a water conditioner and can get bio boost to aid in the cycling process. You will find high levels of ammonia with zero nitrite and nitrate then a rise in nitrite and when the bacteria is established both should go down to zero with nitrate around 10-20 at that point the tank is cycled.
Some good news is danios are one of the hardiest of fish so they have a higher tolerance for new tank syndrome. In the mean time while tank is establishing you need to be doing daily water changes to remove the ammonia so 10-20% a day. Also limit feeding to reduce adding extra ammonia to the tank so just once every 2 days.
There is a huge fish tank thread on here with huge wealth of knowledge too.
MG CHRIS said:
Unfortunately what you are experience is bad info from fish shops who just want to sell fish. Tanks need to cycle before adding fish. Bacteria needs to establish in order to keep a tank cycled but in a new tank there isn't any so ammonia from fish waste and food builds up with nothing to remove it.
The cloudyness is a bacterial bloom which happens in newly set up tanks.
You need to get a API test kit to test ammonia nitrate and nitrite you will also need a water conditioner and can get bio boost to aid in the cycling process. You will find high levels of ammonia with zero nitrite and nitrate then a rise in nitrite and when the bacteria is established both should go down to zero with nitrate around 10-20 at that point the tank is cycled.
Some good news is danios are one of the hardiest of fish so they have a higher tolerance for new tank syndrome. In the mean time while tank is establishing you need to be doing daily water changes to remove the ammonia so 10-20% a day. Also limit feeding to reduce adding extra ammonia to the tank so just once every 2 days.
There is a huge fish tank thread on here with huge wealth of knowledge too.
Cheers for that. I’ll get on the water changes and hopefully they’ll survive. Not confident they will but fingers crossed. The cloudyness is a bacterial bloom which happens in newly set up tanks.
You need to get a API test kit to test ammonia nitrate and nitrite you will also need a water conditioner and can get bio boost to aid in the cycling process. You will find high levels of ammonia with zero nitrite and nitrate then a rise in nitrite and when the bacteria is established both should go down to zero with nitrate around 10-20 at that point the tank is cycled.
Some good news is danios are one of the hardiest of fish so they have a higher tolerance for new tank syndrome. In the mean time while tank is establishing you need to be doing daily water changes to remove the ammonia so 10-20% a day. Also limit feeding to reduce adding extra ammonia to the tank so just once every 2 days.
There is a huge fish tank thread on here with huge wealth of knowledge too.
Any idea time wise should expect to clear. A week? A month?
Usual a month or so to fully cycle a tank but it depends. You may find with water changes it will clear within a week or so. But must have is a API master test kit to monitor what the 3 main parts are which are ammonia nitrite and nitrate.
Ammonia and nitrite are deadly over time nitrate will always have in the tank and fish are usual happy even upto 50ppm but you will usually have that around 25ppm.
Also useful to test your tap water for pH nitrate levels and also hardness so you can match types of fish too your water conditions.
Ammonia and nitrite are deadly over time nitrate will always have in the tank and fish are usual happy even upto 50ppm but you will usually have that around 25ppm.
Also useful to test your tap water for pH nitrate levels and also hardness so you can match types of fish too your water conditions.
MG CHRIS said:
Usual a month or so to fully cycle a tank but it depends. You may find with water changes it will clear within a week or so. But must have is a API master test kit to monitor what the 3 main parts are which are ammonia nitrite and nitrate.
Ammonia and nitrite are deadly over time nitrate will always have in the tank and fish are usual happy even upto 50ppm but you will usually have that around 25ppm.
Also useful to test your tap water for pH nitrate levels and also hardness so you can match types of fish too your water conditions.
Done a 20% water change and immediately they are swimming all over the tank top to bottom, so that’s fantastic. Kids are well happy. Put some filter boost in and got some tests on order. On the road to happy fish. Thanks again. Ammonia and nitrite are deadly over time nitrate will always have in the tank and fish are usual happy even upto 50ppm but you will usually have that around 25ppm.
Also useful to test your tap water for pH nitrate levels and also hardness so you can match types of fish too your water conditions.
Do some searching in the nitrogen cycle and read up.
You need to keep testing for Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate. Expect the Ammonia to go up and then start to come down gradually. As it does the Nitrite will rise and then fall. This is the filter bacteria starting up.
Nitrate will gradually rise and the only way to get rid of this is regular water changes. Plants will help with nitrate levels but a planted tank needs a careful balance of water chemistry.
When you clean out the tank use some of the removed water to wash out the sponges. Do not use fresh water to clean filter media as it kills the bacteria you are tying to grow.
You need to keep testing for Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate. Expect the Ammonia to go up and then start to come down gradually. As it does the Nitrite will rise and then fall. This is the filter bacteria starting up.
Nitrate will gradually rise and the only way to get rid of this is regular water changes. Plants will help with nitrate levels but a planted tank needs a careful balance of water chemistry.
When you clean out the tank use some of the removed water to wash out the sponges. Do not use fresh water to clean filter media as it kills the bacteria you are tying to grow.
Carlososos said:
MG CHRIS said:
Usual a month or so to fully cycle a tank but it depends. You may find with water changes it will clear within a week or so. But must have is a API master test kit to monitor what the 3 main parts are which are ammonia nitrite and nitrate.
Ammonia and nitrite are deadly over time nitrate will always have in the tank and fish are usual happy even upto 50ppm but you will usually have that around 25ppm.
Also useful to test your tap water for pH nitrate levels and also hardness so you can match types of fish too your water conditions.
Done a 20% water change and immediately they are swimming all over the tank top to bottom, so that’s fantastic. Kids are well happy. Put some filter boost in and got some tests on order. On the road to happy fish. Thanks again. Ammonia and nitrite are deadly over time nitrate will always have in the tank and fish are usual happy even upto 50ppm but you will usually have that around 25ppm.
Also useful to test your tap water for pH nitrate levels and also hardness so you can match types of fish too your water conditions.
However be prepaid for spikes and to react quickly but daily water changes should keep it at bay.
Update time.
Been keeping up the water changes up daily (20 - 15% changes) adding the filter boost it’s almost cleared it. Not quite 100% but it’s night and day to before. I’ve just finished feeding so the bits floating are tiny bits I couldn’t net up. The fish that survived are happy and swimming about like maniacs. Touch wood but I think they’ll make it!
Still waiting on the test kit to come but all seems well at the moment. Appreciate the help.
Been keeping up the water changes up daily (20 - 15% changes) adding the filter boost it’s almost cleared it. Not quite 100% but it’s night and day to before. I’ve just finished feeding so the bits floating are tiny bits I couldn’t net up. The fish that survived are happy and swimming about like maniacs. Touch wood but I think they’ll make it!
Still waiting on the test kit to come but all seems well at the moment. Appreciate the help.
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